Process of cracking oil



Jan. 4, 1927. 1,613,124

. q. OWENS PROCESS OF CRACKING OIL Original Filed May 1 21 Chazxleuw Qwem,

Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE;-

CHARLES owE'ns, OF cHA'r'r'ANooGA, TENNESSEE.

PROCESS OF CRACKING OIL.

A'ppiication filed May-28, 1921, Seria1.No. 473,246. Renewed April 1, 1926.

My invention is a modification of my pending application (Serial No. 346,721, filed Dec. 22nd, 1919, gas producing attachment for internal combustion engines) as 1t re lates tothe refining of oils, i. e., separating of oils into different grades, cracking 011s of a heavier specific gravity into lighter, more volatile oils, and also for breaking up 011s into permanent gases, when so desired.

An apparatus embodying the invention 1s shown in the accompanylng drawing, in which: 1

Figure 1 is a diagram with a portion of the apparatus in section; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the apparatus. I

In this drawing, 1 is a steam boiler from which steam is delivered through a pipe 2 to a, mixer 3 to which oil is delivered from an oil tank 1 through pipe 5, pump 6, pipe 7,

su ply bowl 8 and pipe 21' to openings23 oi a Venturi nozzle 20. The oil supplied is regulated by an adjustable needle valve 22,

and any excess oil reaching the-bowl 8 will pass back to the tank 4 by the overflow pipe 9. The'steam reachesthe venturi at substantially atmospheric pressure, for which purpose the pipe 2 is open to atmosphere at 2 and both the steam boiler and the oil tank are open to the atmosphere. The venturi is subjected to vacuum depression 1n pipe 10 into which pipe the mixture of oil and steam is delivered after leaving the venturi. This vacuum depression is induced by a vacuum pump 19 interposed between the two last condensing tanks so as to subject the cracked products to atmospheric or 'higher pressure as an aid to condensation in the recovery of the oil in the last tank or tanks, i. e., it is drawn by vacuum through the tanks as far as the pump 19, and from there on it is forced forward by the compres sion action of the pump. The pipe 10 con',-'

nects with a heating coll 11 in a furnace 12 so that the-mixture of oil and steam passing through this coil is subjected to heat. This coil connects by pipe 13 with condenser 14.

There may be any required number of these condensers as shown at 15 and 16 and the last one connectsby pipe 18 with the suction pump 19. At 17 I show draw oft cocks.

In the'operation. of the system the furnace 12 is heated to say 750 to 950 F. and the boiler 1 is heated to deliver steam to the venturi 20; The vacuum pump 19 and oil pump 6 are thenstarted. The vacuum depression draws the steam through the venturi and the velocity of the steam passing through the restricted bore of the venturi draws oil from the bowl 8 through the series of ports 23leading from the annular space or chamber 3' as a result of which the oil is divided, and becomes thoroughly mixed with the steam, which mixture enters the pipe 10 in the form of spray. The mixture under the suction of the pump 19 then passes through the oil cracking coil 11 and into the condensers where the diiferent grades of oil are separated out from the mixture and are recovered through the cooks 17.

Principles entering into and influencing the cracking and refining of the oil in my vacuum oil cracking and oil refining process are as follows:- f

The presentation of two nonmiscible elements to heat, lowers the boiling temperature below that required when either element is presented singly:

The boiling point of oil under vacuum is lower than the boiling point at atmospheric pressure:

The separating. action of a vacuum on molecules:

The separating action of heat on the elements'of which oilis composed.

Because of the foregoing facts it is my belief that the action of the vaccum in conv junction with the steam in v the presence of heat produces thefollowing results:

(a) -Presents the oil and steam in a thoroughly mixed condition, in suspension, to the heat. in finely divided particles.

, (b) Maintains the finely divided oil and steam, in suspension, in a thoroughly mixed condition. (c) The'steam serves to atomize and feed the oil andserves as a carrier for the finely divided oil until the separationof, and reassociation of the elements occurs.

I claim: A process of treating hydrocarbon oil which comprises drawing hydrocarbon oil Q mlmee into an atomizer by means of steam at subpheric pressure, into said atomizer and said stan'tially atmospheric pressure, atomizing atomized oil and steam into and through I said oil by said steam, drawing said eftomsaid heating zone, and condensing the reized oil and steam into a heating zone main sultant vapors.

5 tained at a cracking temperature, mainkain- In testimony whereof, I aifix my signaing sufiicient suction on said atomizer and ture. heating zone to draw said steam at etmos- CHARLES OWENS. 

